Tiger Woods Responds To Sergio Garcia’s ‘Fried Chicken’ Comment
Tiger Woods has responded to Sergio Garcia’s seemingly racial reference.
The sparring golfers have traded barbs since the Players Championship two weeks ago, in which Garcia accused Woods of having bad course etiquette. Woods took a club from his bag during Garcia’s backswing in the third round, eliciting a cheer from the crowd and distracting Garcia.
Tiger would go on to say that he believed the course marshalls gave him permission to get his club, but that claim was denied by the marshalls themselves.
“He isn’t the nicest guy on tour,” Garcia after the incident.
Garcia added that the two men don’t care for each other too much off the course.
“He doesn’t make a difference to my life and I know I don’t make a difference to his life,” Garcia. “This is not just one thing. This has been going on for a long time.”
But the feud ramped up this week when Garcia made what appeared to be a racially insensitive comment. When asked if he and Tiger Woods had made peace, Garcia responded with a crude joke.
“We’ll have him ’round every night,” Garcia said, according to multiple media reports. “We will serve fried chicken.”
The reference seemed to hint at an African-American stereotype of eating fried chicken, one that’s been used toward Tiger in the past. After the 1997 Masters, golfer Fuzzy Zoeller joked that he hoped Tiger wouldn’t serve fried chicken at the next year’s champions dinner.
Garcia immediately apologized for his comment, saying his answer was “totally stupid” and “out of place.”
“I apologize for any offense that may have been caused by my comment on stage during the European Tour Players’ Awards dinner,” Garcia said. “I answered a question that was clearly made towards me as a joke with a silly remark, but in no way was the comment meant in a racist manner.”
Tiger Woods responded on Wednesday morning.
The comment that was made wasn’t silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate…
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 22, 2013
I’m confident that there is real regret that the remark was made.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 22, 2013
The Players ended nearly two weeks ago and it’s long past time to move on and talk about golf.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 22, 2013
The war of words between Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia may be over for now, but the golfers will soon meet on a big stage again.
